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| Uri: The Surgical Strike. Movie Scene. |
We as a nation have been attacked so many times that one tends to forget which specific attack this movie was based on. The last chapter titled "Bleed India With A Thousand Cuts' hits hard. The ugly truth about Pakistani Army sponsored terrorism in India, not just Kashmir. Don't forget Punjab.
For a moment (at least when watching this movie), suspend your thoughts on jingoism, government propaganda, pro-Government agenda and what not. Just try and watch this movie as is. Just try.
It is a movie worth watching. Energetic, Emotional, Entertaining, well crafted and well performed. The story had its flaws. For me it was the limited depth of character development. Still, you did felt for them when the time came. You will understand what I mean when you watch it.
My first, and surprising eyebrow raiser moment was when I saw Swaroop Sampat on screen after, I don't know, how many eons. Her performance just made me realize why I loved watching her get back on screen. The sound design in this movie was damn good. This is a movie to be watched in a theater. The story telling was a mix bag as who ever wrote it was trying to compliment documentary style narration with a protagonist centered story telling. That too when the spotlight of the story is an event and there are many conjoined facets to that story.
The movie style technically is a copy of American 'Zero Dark Thirty' with sound design inspired from several sources including 'Dunkirk'. At least its implemented well.
Now for the jingoism and propaganda part ...
Why do we need movies like these?
People have short memories. Generations are unaware of what the previous ones endured. The learning are easily lost in the vastness of information. Capitalist and Socialists countries are well known in making propaganda material. Be it to justify wars or glorify achievements (sports, technology, exploration, success etc.). Of course there are manipulations and distortions in the truth, but awareness is better than non at all.
Uri reminds us how leadership, decision making, execution and logistics are applied in taking national decisions. Irrespective of which government runs this country. This is a movie for all of us, the collective. We should remember what happened to us. How we responded and endured and grew from there on, as citizens and people. Not all of them are great, not all are success, not all are good. But we should remember so that when the time comes, we are well informed before taking the next decision as a society.
Movies like Uri, Parmanu, Border etc are needed just as individual biopics are needs to tell stories. Stories that shed some more light beyond the limits of a rectangular patch of print space or the click baiting article for views. If you hunger for some more truth, do some more reading. :)
